Evergreen-wreath-making machine



Sept. 24, 1929. J. E. LAVLEY 1,729,171

' EVERGREEN WREATH MAKING MACHINE 7 Filed Jan. 20, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1(b72125 [az/Zgy, deed. 2mm BL cwlqg admim'rimfi Sept. 24, 1929. J. E.LAVLEY 1,729,171

EVERGREEN WREATH MAKING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20. 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 2Sept. 24, 1929. J.. E. LAVLEY -EVE1RGREEN WREATH MAKING MACHINE FiledJan. 20. 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Q4 JbhnEfZaz/Ze 34 4mm J aiecai.

alike: mnra Patented Sept. 24, 1929 warren STATES- PATENT OFFICE JOHN E.LAVLEY, DECEASED, LATE OF COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, BY RUTH B. LAVLEY,ADMINISTRATRIX, OF COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO EVERGREEN-WREA'IH-MAKINGMACHINE Application filed January 20, 1927.

ing improved means for progressively applying the evergreen-binding wireto the core of the Wreath; one which partakes of a progressive movementlongitudinally of the wreath core when the machine is in operation.

Another object is to furnish, in a machine as characterized, an improvedholding means for the wreath core and which is capable of adjustment tosuit cores of different lengths.

The invention also aims to generally simplify the structure of machinesof this type, and increase the efficiency thereof.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention are attained by meansof a novel cominafter described and claimed, and in order that the samemay be better understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawingsforming a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate what I nowregard as a preferred embodiment of the invention, but it is to beunderstood that various changes and modifications may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings, wherein the same reference characters designate thesame parts in all views,

Figure 1 is an elevation of the machine, partly broken;

Figure 2 is a top plan view;

Figure 3 is a detail side elevation of the clutch and associatedelements, certain of which are shown in section;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional View through the winding wire spoolcarrier;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective of the wreath core; 7 V

Figure 6 is a perspective of a partially finished wreath;

Figure 7 is an enlarged elevational view of the clutch;

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view, partly in side elevation of one ofthe core holding elementsand its driving gear;

bination and arrangement of parts to be here-' bed 1.

Serial N'o. 162,868.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8 of the companion core holdingelement;

Figure 10 is a cross section through the core holding element ofFigure 9in place in its carrier socket; and

c Figure 11 is a detail sectional View of certain elements of thewinding wire carrier.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the machine comprises a bed ortable 1, supported by legs 2, the bed having upstanding bearings 3rotatably supporting the main drive shaft 4. Power is transmitted todrive shaft 4 by means of a clutch comprising a cup-like drum 5, keyedto the shaft, and a loose clutch element which is driven by a sprocket6. The clutch is of the friction type and its details will be explainedlater.

Turning to Figures 1 and 2 it is observed that the bed 1 has a pair oftransverse open ings 7 through which the operating chains 8 of sprockets6 pass. The preferred embodiment discloses duplicate clutches 5, 6 onshaft 4, but it will be evident that effective results can be securedwith but one clutch.

The sprocket chains 8 carry a weight 9 at one end, while the other endis attached to a treadle 10 which is pivoted as at 11 to the'floor'asshown in Figures 1 and 3. When the treadle 10 is depressed, thesprocket clutch element 6 is rotated in a direction to frictionallydrive its companion clutch element 5 and shaft 4. The purpose of weight9 is to elevate the treadle 10 after each downward Working strokethereof.

Adjacent each end of the drive shaft 4 is keyed a; spur gear 12 whichmeshes with a relatively smaller ratio spur gear 13, these latter beingcarried rigidly upon stub shafts journalled in upstanding bearings 16upon One stub shaft is designated as at 14 and the other at 15.

As best shown in the detail view Figure 8, the stub shaft 14 has anelongated keyway 14 so that the shaft can be slid in its bearings 16 andrelatively of the key 14 of its gear 13. A coil spring 14" (Figs. 1 and2) having one end abutting the adjacent bearing 16 and the other endengaging a shoulder 14 normally tends to draw the hooked end 14 of thestub shaft 14 in the direction of its bearings 16. The'object of thisconstruction is to maintain the core wire C in a taut condition, itbeing understood that one end. of the core wire C is engaged with thehooked end 1 1 of stub shaft 14-.

Referring to Figure 9, the other stub shaft 15 is shown with a socketcdend 15 adapted to receive the reduced shank portion 15 of abar 15, theend of which is booked as indicated at 15 to engage the other end of thecore wire C of the wreath or rope. A set screw 15 operates through'onewall of socket 15* to selectively engage in depressions 15 in a groovein the shank portion 15". Thus the bar 15 is capable of adjustment inits socket 15 so that a core wire C of varying length may be engagedwith hooks 14 and 15 and held taut by the action of the spring 1 1"acting through the stub shaft 14.

Fromthe foregoing it will be clear that the wreath wire core C will berotated with stub shafts 14 and 15.

Referring again to the clutch 5, ('3, as depicted in Figures 3 and 7,the sleeve of the sprocket element 6 carries a fixed web 6 positionedwithin the drum 5. Arms 6 pivoted to web 6 as at 6 are backed by linedmetal strips 6 Thus, when sprocket element 6 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction (Figs. 3 and 7) the ends of arms 6 frictionallyengage the inner periphery of drum to rotate the same and shaft 4. Whenthe sprocket element 6 moves in a clockwise direction. under theinfluence of weight 9 after each working stroke of the treadle 10, thearms 6 swing to an idling or inoperative position to permit freerotation of the shaft 4.

Coming now to the means for securing the evergreen to the core G, andreferring particularly toFigures 1 and 4', the supply spool 17 for thewrapping wire 18 is journalled upon the intermediate part of a sleeve 19which mounts the spool housing or carrier 19 upon a guide bar A. Thehousing sleeve 19 is slidingly mounted upon the guide bar A'and keyedagainst rotation as at 19 (Fig. 4). Upstanding standards B at either endof bed 1 serve to support guide bar A. From the spool 17, the wrappingwire 18 passes through a hole in partition 19, thence between theoutwardly flared flanges oftwo closely contacting and nonrotatingfriction washers 20, and finally through a hole in a second partition.It is understood that the end of the wrapping wire 18 is designed to beattached to the left hand end of the core wire C adjacent the hood 1 1.

The washers 20, referred to above, are mounted upon a small transverserod 21 carried by the spool-housing walls and are held in intimatecontact by the action of a coil spring 22. One end of coil spring 22engages an abutment 23 on rod 21, while the other end engages the faceof the adjacent washer20 toforce the two washers together and against asecond rod-carried abutment 24. The function of the two yieldinglycontacting, flaringly flanged washers 20 is to frictionally act upon thewrapping wire 18 "when the machine is'in use to prevent too rapid payingout of the wire from spool 17. It has been previously stated that theend of the wrappin wire is adapted to be attached to the core C, andsince the core C is rotated by hooks 14 and the wrapping wire 8 will bewound off the spool 17 and onto the core to hold the evergreeninintimate contact therewith. See Figure 6, showing partially completedwreath, wherein. the ends of the core C have been connected.

lVith further reference to the friction washers it is noted that theyare prevented from rotating by transverse housingcarried pin 25 engagingedge recesses 20 in the washer flanges.

In carrying out the invention, a means is provided for moving the spoolhousing 19 longitudinally of the core 0 on its guide bar A w rile themachine isin motion so that the wrapping wire 18 will be progressivelywound upon the core 0, in the direction of one end. thereof, as theevergreens are applied to the core. This means will now be described.

A flexible connection 26 is attached to the spool housing 19 as at 27and is trained over a pulley 28 carried by standard B at the right handend of the machine (Fig ure 1). From pulley 28 connection 26 passesunder a pulley 29 journalled in bearings 29" adjacent the bed of themachine, and from pulley 29 the connection is attached to a spool 30.The spool 30 is keyed to a short shaft31 supported by upstanding bedcarried bearings 32. The spool 30 has a clutch end 33 provided with lugs33* adapted toengage hub notches 37 of a spur gear 37 which is loose onshaft 31. j Gear 37 is constantly driven. very slowly by the small spurgear 38 on the end of the stub shaft 15. V r

, Assuming that the machine is in operation and that it is desired toprogressively move the spool housing'19 toward the right (Fig.

1), all that is necessary to do is to move the spool 30 on shaft31 toengage its clutch end with the hub notches 37 of gear 37. This may bedone by means of lever 35, pivoted at 36 to hearing 32 and having aprojection 341 engaging a circumferential groove 38." in the clutch end33 of the spool 80.

l/Vhen the wrapping of evergreen upon one core has been completed, and anew core has been applied to hooks 14 and 15 the clutch end 33 of spool30 can be disengaged from gear 37 so as to permit the spool housing 19to llll) be manually slid to its starting position on the guide bar A.The shaft 31 will be free to rotate and the connection 26 will unwindfrom the spool 30.

From the foregoing description, taken with the accompanying drawings itis believed that the construction, operation and advantages of themachine will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

The core wire G is preferably formed with doubled strands defining eyesC at each end (Figure 5). The free ends of the wire C are twisted as atC to hold the strands together at a point adjacent the eyes C Therespective ends C are designed to engage in the eyes of their companionends to define a circular structure as per Figure 6 and as suggested inFigure 5. The ends C will be concealed by the evergreen when engagedwith the eyes C Having thus described the invention, what is claimed asnew is:

1. In a machine of the class described, a frame, a pair oflongitudinally spaced stub shafts journalled thereon, treadle operateddriving means therefor, one of said stub shafts having an extensiblewreath core engaging element, the other stub shaft being longitudinallyadjustable and having means for engagement with a wreath core, yieldingmeans for normally urging said last named stub shaft away from the firstnamed stub shaft to hold the wreath core taut, a longitudinally disposedguide carried by said frame and above the plane of said stub shaft, ahousing slidingly mounted on said guide, a spool journalled in saidhousing and having a flexible element wound thereon and designed forattachment to said core, a flexible connection having one endpermanently attached to said housing, a rotatably journalled shaftadjacent and parallel with one of said stub shafts at one end of theframe, a winding drum rigid with said last named shaft and to which saidconnection is attached, a gear loosely mounted on said shaft drum andhaving a driving connection with the adjacent stub shaft, and

clutch means for effecting a driving connection between said gear andsaid drum shaft whereby to wind said connection thereon and draw saidhousing longitudinally on its guide in the operation of the machine, andguide means for said flexible connection and arranged to maintain thesame adjacent said housing guide between the ends thereof whereby not toobstruct the view of the work from either side of the machine.

2. In a machine of the class described, a frame, a pair oflongitudinally spaced stub shafts journalled thereon, driving meanstherefor, said stub shafts having means for engagement with a wreathcore, a longitudinally disposed guide carried by said frame and wellabove the plane of said stub shafts so as not to obstruct the view ofthe work, a

ble element wound thereon anddesigned for attachment to said core, aflexible connection attached to said housing, a rotatably journalledshaft adjacent and parallel with one of said stub shafts at one end ofthe frame, and to which said connection is attached, a gear looselymounted on said shaft and having a driving connection wit-h one of saidstub shafts, clutch means for effecting a driving connection betweensaid gear and said last named shaft whereby to wind said connectionthereon and draw said housing longitudinally on its guide in theoperation of the machine, and guide means for said flexible connectionand arranged to maintain the same adjacent said housing guide betweenthe ends thereof whereby not to obstruct the view of the work fromeither side of the machine.

3. In a machine of the class described, a frame, a pair oflongitudinally spaced stub shafts journalled thereon, driving meanstherefor, said stub shaft-s having means for engagement with a wreathcore, a longitudinally disposed guide carried by said frame and wellabove the plane of said stub shafts so as not to obstruct the view ofthe work, a housing slidingly mounted thereon, a spool journalled insaid housing and having a flexibleelement wound thereon and designed forattachment to said core, a flexible connection having one end attachedto said housing, a rotatable element arranged adjacent and with its axisparallel with one of said stub shafts and to which the other end of saidflexible element is attached, and a driving connection between saidrotatable element and said adj acent stub shaft.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

RUTH B. LAVLEY, Adm im'stratrix, Estate 0/ John E. La'vley,

Deceased.

